The Future Of What Podcast
A Podcast About the State of the Music Industry
Founded by Music Biz President, Portia Sabin as a way to educate musicians on the realities of the music business, The Future of What Podcast has become a forum where the most significant voices in our industry discuss important issues of the day. Tune in as she hosts important industry figureheads and innovators alike in exciting discussions on where the music business is headed next!
July 22, 2025 – The Future of What Episode #259 — Democratizing Artist Marketing: A Conversation with Chuka Chase of SymphonyOS @ Music Biz 2025!
We sat down with Chuka Chase, co-founder of SymphonyOS, during Music Biz 2025 to talk about his company, his experience at the Conference, and the convergence of the music and tech industries. He discusses his professional journey which led him from the tech space to music, as he compares and contrasts how both industries operate. He also covers how the internet has made the music industry less siloed, and how SymphonyOS continues this democratization of knowledge for today’s artists.... Listen
July 15, 2025 – The Future of What Episode #258 — The Impacts Of The Current PRO System On Small Venues
In this episode, we discuss the motivations behind NIVA’s letter to the US Copyright Office in conversation with Tobi Parks of the National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF). Tobi disputes the narrative that licensees are just trying to cut costs, explaining how the current PRO system, combined with a lack of education provided to licensees and artists, leaves an untapped pool of money waiting to be fairly distributed. She also dives into the unique issues faced within the US due to having multiple PRO entities,... Listen
July 8, 2025 – The Future of What Episode #257 — A Conversation With Virginie Berger @ Music Biz 2025
We caught up with Virginie Berger, Founder of Don’t Believe the Hype and Advisor at MUSICx; fmr. MatchTune during Music Biz 2025 for a conversation covering the sentiments of fear and concern surrounding the uncharted territory that is AI. She addresses the complications and confusion today’s music market faces, current copyright wins & losses, the fine line AI walks in terms of what is & isn’t forbidden, and MatchTune’s AI detection and audio fingerprinting solutions. Touching on legislation in the US,... Listen
July 1, 2025 – The Future of What Episode #256 — Jonathan Azu of Culture Collective Walks Through Recent Projects, the State of the Live Industry & Inclusivity!
This week we speak with Jonathan Azu, founder of Culture Collective, on the state of the live industry, along with some exciting projects & collaborations he’s working on! Jonathan discusses how important it is for executives to diversify themselves in the same way today’s artists do, highlighting the multi-hyphenate approach he has taken for his business by working on tours, TV specials, philanthropic and DEI-related work, and developing artists. Jonathan provides us his expertise, evaluating the consistency of our industry’s DEI initiatives born out of the self-reflection that came from the COVID era,... Listen
June 24, 2025 – The Future of What Episode #255 — The Tech and Music Industry Crossover: A Conversation with OpenPlay’s Edward Ginis @ Music Biz 2025!
Edward Ginis, Founder and CEO of OpenPlay, attended his 15th Music Biz Conference this year. In this episode, he discusses how the Conference continues to evolve with the times, providing true substance and debate over platitudes and hype. In the same vein, Edward touches on just how crucial it is for our industry to nurture entrepreneurs and startups in a mutually beneficial relationship. He discusses how the Conference’s startup programming, including OpenPlay’s “Break The Silos. Build The Future.” Hackathon,... Listen
June 17, 2025 – The Future of What Episode #254 — Hear from Lauryn Menard, Creator of the GOB Sustainable Earplug Brand!
The difficulty common earplugs have conforming to each person’s unique anatomy leads to frequent struggles with actually keeping these devices in our ears – not to mention the poor sound quality they create by blocking out only the top frequencies. Biomaterial professor and industrial designer, Lauryn Menard may very well be revolutionizing the future of earplugs, as she has pioneered a solution that not only resolves these issues but also provides a more sustainable option for our environment.... Listen
May 20, 2025 – The Future of What Episode #253 — The Music Merchandising Experience with Kerstyn Inouye of Top Drawer Merch
Top Drawer Merch began their journey through collaborating with artists to create charity bracelets. Today, they service clients both in and out of the music industry, producing apparel & a variety of other merchandise. Implementing a traditional brand approach, they understand that merch is not just a band’s logo on a t-shirt – it’s a story told through the product that comes back full circle, tying into a much larger ecosystem. Kerstyn Inouye, Marketing Director of Top Drawer Merch joins us this episode to discuss the opportunities superfans bring to merchandising,... Listen
April 29, 2025 – The Future of What Episode #252 — How Friends of Noise is Creating Music Business Opportunities for the Youth of Portland
Friends of Noise, an organization supporting the creative youth of Portland, Oregon since 2016, is expanding their educational programming with the opening of their all-ages venue, “The Off Beat.” The nonprofit hosts professional development workshops and produces all-age concerts where teens can perform on-stage, run sound, accept tickets & create posters, with their youth sound engineers being hired to produce local events ranging from block parties to weddings. In this episode, we speak with their Executive Director,... Listen
April 22, 2025 – The Future of What Episode #251 — Music Biz in Atlanta: The Horne Brothers Highlight ATL’s Booming Music Economy
Building on our series of interviews with Atlanta locals, we spoke with Byron, Ryon & Tyson Horne, better known as The Horne Brothers. To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop, the brothers highlighted Atlanta in their 2024 documentary, “The South Got Something To Say.” Though Hip-Hop’s birthplace is credited as New York, the documentary discusses how a large share of popular hits and collaborations have come from Atlanta. It also covers the city’s status as a music melting pot that has created unique,... Listen
April 15, 2025 – The Future of What Episode #250 — Angry Mob Music’s Marc Caruso Addresses What Indie Publishers Need
Independents make up 40% of the publishing industry, and yet, they struggle to leverage deals. Why? It all comes down to industry fracturing that is preventing the emergence of their collective voice. Angry Mob Music CEO, Marc Caruso touched upon this in his Billboard op-ed, “Why It’s Time for Indie Publishers to Get Angry,” where he highlights how the collaborative environment of the indie publishing space makes rallying together for change an easier and more organic process.... Listen
